Changes to Princess Plus, room service fees, Alfredo's and others. Fee changes. Etc

[Yowman]

22 minutes ago, beg3yrs said:

Are you sure of this or is it speculation? I see no mention of what's happened to the -50 packages. There used to be a note before this mess explaining what the -50 packages (NEW items) didn't get. Now it is gone..

I made the same observation upthread.  More inconsistent messaging from PCL it seems.

[PrincessLuver]

11 minutes ago, AlibearNS said:

We hover between Celebrity and Princess, Elite now on both. In the last year we've sailed 1x on Celebrity and 3x on Princess because we consider the app features a huge draw, along with the free room service. We also love having Alfredo's as an alternative complimentary dining option.
Now, as I understand it, if you don't have Plus or Premier you have to pay a one off charge just to use the Ocean Now delivery on the app? And, with Plus, we can only use Alfredo's twice for free, even on a longer voyage? 
And they kept those stupid, childish desserts?
I honestly think Princess is going the wrong way with this, devaluing their brand, giving us no reason to choose them now over Celebrity, who, despite the tacky room service charge, do have a classy feel and offer a daily drinks hour for elites. 
Sad times, Princess.

 

We are headed this way too.  Princess seems to be making too many changes that are taking from (devaluing) their loyal customers instead of adding enhancements for keep them happy and coming back.

When times get tough again, as they often do, their loyalist will probably be long gone if this keeps up.

And you know they are going to just keep finding ways to raise prices as they have often done in the past 9 months....wow.....what a roller coaster they are becoming.

[Ombud]

26 minutes ago, beg3yrs said:

Are you sure of this or is it speculation? I see no mention of what's happened to the -50 packages. There used to be a note before this mess explaining what the -50 packages (NEW items) didn't get. Now it is gone..

It's directly from the website. Encouraging you to look it up yourself

@yeoman there isn't inconsistent messaging on Princess.Com, it's actually incredibly clear. I'm not on FB so the only way I know what's coming down the pipeline is thru cruise critic & rechecking Princess news releases

 

 

Edited July 28, 2023 by Ombud

[DougH]

Princess should not be able to make changes on voyages purchased prior to the new policy. This is not what I purchased when I gave them my money. The new policy should go into effect ONLY for cruises booked after the notification of changes. Then we can make a choice of Princess, another cruise line or just stay at home. Doesn't seem fair.

[bubbaed]

This is all very interesting on Princess' part. To keep things in perspective, I did a quick price comparison between Viking and Princess for similar 14/15-day itineraries to Scandinavia. Spoiler alert: Princess is the clear winner in the value category.

 

For Princess, I priced Reserve Collection mini suite with PLUS on Sky Princess:

 

 

Note this does not include any discounts, OBC, casino rates, etc. Public fare (not logged in).

 

For Viking, I priced the cheapest veranda cabin with NO extras on Viking Sky:

 

 

I think this speaks for itself. Having recently completed a Viking Ocean cruise, and understanding the reasons they charge so much more, I can say I'd choose Princess for this one, emphatically. The Princess price could be even less in a Deluxe Balcony, which I feel is more equivalent to the basic Viking cabin.

 

I understand everyone is different and some people definitely appreciate (and will pay for) the small ship experience on Viking. If that's important to you, then give Viking a try.

 

Happy cruising!

Edited July 28, 2023 by bubbaed

[PacnGoNow]

19 minutes ago, amandawalker1 said:

Yet both cruises leave from USA ports

I’m sure they have not updated the websites yet.  The roll out spans over the month of August.  One ship in September. 
 

I bet they will start updating very soon.

 

[Yowman]

10 minutes ago, Ombud said:

It's directly from the website. Encouraging you to look it up yourself

@yeoman there isn't inconsistent messaging on Princess.Com, it's actually incredibly clear. I'm not on FB so the only way I know what's coming down the pipeline is thru cruise critic & rechecking Princess news releases

 

 

 

Prior to this change my personalizer explicitly showed that (with PLUS50) I did not have the desserts nor fitness classes and showed a button to click should I want to upgrade.  Now there is no button to click and there is an indication that I have the $60 package.  That is the inconsistency

[Ombud]

Yes @yeoman there are inconsistent individual cases. You've got an upgraded pkg, I've got 125 OBC + Medallions mailed to my home ($10 value) = GREEN STATUS!!!! Standard cruiser gets Green Status (plus I was complaining to DS today who cruises RCCL and he just said standard procedure for other lines)

 

 

Edited July 28, 2023 by Ombud

[Guest ldtr]

1 hour ago, DougH said:

Princess should not be able to make changes on voyages purchased prior to the new policy. This is not what I purchased when I gave them my money. The new policy should go into effect ONLY for cruises booked after the notification of changes. Then we can make a choice of Princess, another cruise line or just stay at home. Doesn't seem fair.

in most cases if you are from the US and if your cruises are more than 90 days out you have the ability to cancel for refund

Edited July 28, 2023 by ldtr

[Flowers62]

3 minutes ago, bubbaed said:

This is all very interesting on Princess' part. To keep things in perspective, I did a quick price comparison between Viking and Princess for similar 14/15-day itineraries to Scandinavia. Spoiler alter: Princess is the clear winner in the value category.

 

For Princess, I priced Reserve Collection mini suite with PLUS on Sky Princess:

 

 

Note this does not include any discounts, OBC, casino rates, etc. Public fare (not logged in).

 

For Viking, I priced the cheapest veranda cabin with NO extras on Viking Sky:

 

 

I think this speaks for itself. Having recently completed a Viking Ocean cruise, and understanding the reasons they charge so much more, I can say I'd choose Princess for this one, emphatically. The Princess price could be even less in a Deluxe Balcony, which I feel is more equivalent to the basic Viking cabin.

 

I understand everyone is different and some people definitely appreciate (and will pay for) the small ship experience on Viking. If that's important to you, then give Viking a try.

 

Happy cruising!

Just to note, the Viking package has included excursions, which the Princess comparator does not have. From personal experience, I know the included Viking excursions are not fantastic but neither are most of the very expensive Princess excursions. We usually arrange our own excursions……unless needing to use up OBC.

[juliaak23]

I really hope we can still pick our toppings and don't have to wait 2 hours to get pizza. That'll actually suck.

 

[Guest ldtr]

1 hour ago, Flowers62 said:

Just to note, the Viking package has included excursions, which the Princess comparator does not have. From personal experience, I know the included Viking excursions are not fantastic but neither are most of the very expensive Princess excursions. We usually arrange our own excursions……unless needing to use up OBC.

Included Viking excursions are more of the local walking tour or drive by bus tours. Generally of the $50 to 70 dollar range on Princess.

[bubbaed]

4 minutes ago, Flowers62 said:

Just to note, the Viking package has included excursions, which the Princess comparator does not have. From personal experience, I know the included Viking excursions are not fantastic but neither are most of the very expensive Princess excursions. We usually arrange our own excursions……unless needing to use up OBC.

This is absolutely correct. Thanks for clarifying.

 

But - the Princess PLUS package includes drinks, and it would be an additional $25/day pp on Viking to add the drinks over and above the beer/wine at meals. That would be additional $750 on this sailing for two.

 

Probably a wash in this case... use the $750 for shorex on Princess and you still come out ahead.

 

 

Edited July 28, 2023 by bubbaed

[jimmieg]

Everyone will find a cruise line that fits their style and their wallet.

With everything from gas to groceries to eating out going up, this is all potatoes.

I cruise Celebrity as well, but not because in is less costly.

Seems like this change is not worth the drama.

In case you didn't catch this link...

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles/cruise-line-room-service-fees?fbclid=IwAR2Vxz3CT2ThJeBlZFEYv7CmmtzQJp7eJ1FPY1N0Mbhj9sM_kaeaMgEzFKU#celebritycruisesroomservice

Edited July 28, 2023 by jimmieg
Spelling

[coo359a2]

With 19 pages, I probable missed reading about the Medallion Net.  How does this "NEW" Unlimited Medallion Net differ from what is currently offered in the Princess Plus?.  TIA

 

NEW! Unlimited MedallionNet 2.0 with Fleetwide Starlink and 5G for single device

[DougH]

14 minutes ago, ldtr said:

in most cases if you are from the US and if your cruises are more than 90 days out you have the ability to cancel for refund

I sail in less than 2 weeks. Not great news for me

[Shelly97060]

6 minutes ago, coo359a2 said:

With 19 pages, I probable missed reading about the Medallion Net.  How does this "NEW" Unlimited Medallion Net differ from what is currently offered in the Princess Plus?.  TIA

 

NEW! Unlimited MedallionNet 2.0 with Fleetwide Starlink and 5G for single device

I believe Fleetwide Starlink is that’s new.

[Over from NZ]

They're just further coercing everybody towards the plus packages. Initially they've grabbed the low-hanging fruit by getting the people with FOMO.. too dumb to work out how much they drink on a cruise. They've then chucked in a few extra cherries. They'll keep tweaking it and further and further.. till just about everybody takes the enhanced package.. then they can remove the no-frills version and boom! They've got everybody on the all inclusive (but muchly greater priced) plus versions. Then.. they can start the whole thing over again.. by introducing a plus, plus, plus package with new things they will introduce over and above. It's all marketing.. it's all big business. It's our job to call them out and if it be.. go elsewhere and/or consider other (and there's many, many ways to spend the dollar) discretionary leisure spending. They're cheeky buggers. They will continue to try and give you the minimum required for the maximum return. That's business. It's also business when the consumer says no.. 🙂 

[LMaxwell]

3 hours ago, vampiress said:

this is disappointing.

 

one thing i liked about cruising is i didn't have to make a bunch of decisions.  they are seeming to do away with that and having all kinds of micro charges.  i always referred to cruise as vacation in a box, i didn't have to think much, i bought and paid upfront and then pretty much everything was included except drinks.  now if you don't choose a level of all included package, then you have to think about the drip of cost creep with each micro charge.  it isn't that the fees themselves are outrageous, it is that he concept of cruising is changing that irks me

 

 

nailed it 

[TenneSea]

45 minutes ago, juliaak23 said:

I really hope we can still pick our toppings and don't have to wait 2 hours to get pizza. That'll actually suck.

 

Oh, I'm sure they'll charge for that too.

[cruzrbachoua]

So did they address suites ordering MDR food? Will we be charged the $5..we have a suite in September have the old plus50 pkg...we had planned on ordering MDR or rs and enjoying our suite and balcony 

[TenneSea]

@Sailaweigh Interesting comment about the insurance cost.  Hadn't thought of that.

[Steelers36]

3 hours ago, lolo11 said:

From the personalizer 

What is your point?  Surely you weren't expecting all of the website to be updated today.

[AnyMajorCruiseDude]

As always, will be curious to see how many who post here about cancelling or never booking with Princess again actually disappear.  People have always threatened to move to other lines (for as little as barrel chair removal, or elimination of loyalty credit, etc).  Odd that I keep reading posts from them on Princess boards, or sitting next to them onboard (mostly at MTP luncheons!). If you really object, find an alternative!

[Steelers36]

54 minutes ago, coo359a2 said:

With 19 pages, I probable missed reading about the Medallion Net.  How does this "NEW" Unlimited Medallion Net differ from what is currently offered in the Princess Plus?.  TIA

 

NEW! Unlimited MedallionNet 2.0 with Fleetwide Starlink and 5G for single device

Nothing... they are just touting the Starlink.